Parachute rip cord combination



Jam 31, 1961 R. swlTLlK 2,969,945

PARACHUTE RIP CORD COMBINATION Filed NOV. 19, 1956 FIG. n. Flcs. 4. FIG. 5.

@4253, ffm/uk T #1M y TT/f/VEKS United States Patent O PARACHUTE RIP CORD COR/IBINATION Richard Switlik, Allentown, N J., assignor to Switlik Parachute Company, Inc., Trenton, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 19, 1956, Ser. No. 623,114

9 Claims. (Cl. 244-148) This invention relates to a parachute rip cord combination.

In parachute packs of the type comprising a cover which includes flaps which are held in closed position by cones, grommets and pins that are secured to a rip cord, it often happens that the' accidental pulling of the rip cord will disengage the pins from the cones and permit the aps to release the packed canopy.

Moreover, in back packs of the semirigid ltype which include such aps, cones, grommets, pins and rip cord, the pack will assume a longitudinal curvature when the user bends forwardly from an upright position. In this type of pack where the pins are secured to the rip cord, the pins are frequently disengaged from the cones as a result of the vassumption of the curved position of the pack with the result that the canopy accidentally will be released.

The principal object of this invention resides in the provision of a rip cord combination of such character as will permit a certain degree of movement of the rip cord either by an accidental pull thereon or as a result of the curvature of the pack without withdrawing the pins from the cones.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent as the description'thereof progresses.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a semirigid back pack and a portion of a ybody harness by which the rip cord handle is carried; l

Figure 2 is an edge elevation of a pack;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detail fragmentary view of one of the pins, cones, and grommets;

Figure 4 is an elevation of the rip cord, pin and handle assembly;

.Figure 5 is a View similar to Figure 4 of a modification ofthe assembly; and

Figure 6 is a view in longitudinal section of the pin carrying sleeve slidably mounted on the rip cord.

In Figure 1 a conventional semirigid back pack, which is attached to the back of the user adjacent the upper and lower ends of the pack, is illustrated. The cover of this pack includes side flaps 1 and 2- and underlying end flaps 3 and 4. The ap 1 carries the usual cones or tapered members 5 adjacent its inner edge, while the ap 2 carries the usual grommets 6 which are engaged over the cones 5. When the grommets are disengaged from the cones, all of the flaps of the pack cover will open and release the canopy. Normally, these grommets are held in engagement with the cones by rip cord pins which may be released by pull on the rip cord applied through a rip cord handle or a static line.

' When the user of the pack bends forwardly from an up righ-t position, the pack, being secured to the user fadjacent lboth of its ends, will assume substantially the curvature of the back of the user, and when this happens, the distance between the apertures in adjacent cones will increase with the result tha-t the rip cord pins move within these apertures, sometimes to such an ice Y extent Vas to be completely disengaged from the cones with a result that the canopy accidentally will be released.

In the present invention, as the embodiment illustrated in the drawing discloses, the rip cord pins 7 which extend through the apertures 8 in the cones 5 are provided with sleeves 9 which are of slightly greater inside diameter than the outside diameter of the rip cord 10.

This rip cord 10 which is flexible but substantially nonstretchable and may be formed of relatively stili wire cable, extends through the sleeves 9 of the pins and is capable of having a predetermined amount of movement through the sleeves without moving the pins Within the apertures 8 and without withdrawing the pins from the apertures. Thus, a pull may be exerted on the rip cord accidentally or otherwise without eiecting the release of the canopy.

In order, however, to provide for the movement of the rip cord pins in unison with the rip cord so that the pins may be withdrawn from the apertures in the cones 5, I have provided the rip cord with a plurality of spaced abutments 11 which are immovable longitudinally relative to the rip cord but which are adapted to engage the sleeves 9 of the rip cord pins 7 when the rip cord is pulled through the sleeves.

These abutments 11 are uniformly spaced on the rip cord in `one form of the invention, as shown in Figure 4, so that when the rip cord is pulled while the pins are in engagement with the cones, the abutments will simultaneously engage the pins, and upon 4further movement of the rip cord, will simultaneously withdraw the pins `from the cones.

In another for-m of the invention, as shown in Figure 5, spaces between the abutments are of different lengths so that a pull on the rip cord will cause the sequential engagement of the labutments with the pins with the consequent sequential withdrawing of the pins from the cones. It is sometimes ofadvantage to withdraw the pins sequentially to reduce the amount of pull necessary to withdraw the pins beyond that which is required when all of the pins are withdrawn simultaneously.

At times, it may be desirable to have certain of the pins rigid with and movable with the rip cord while other of the pins are movable in relation to the rip cord.

In addition to the abutments 11, the rip cord is provided With an abutment 12 adjacent the rip cord handle end of the rip cord to limit the movement of the adjacent pin in relation to the np cord toward the handle.

The rip cord is attached to the rip cord handle 13 by a loose joint and is provided with a collar 14. This co1- -lar 14 engages the handle 13, `and when the handle is secured in the usual pocket 15 on the harness 16, it

will exert a back pressure on the rip cord and will tend` to prevent the accidental disengagement of the pins from the cones.

When the pack is assembled, as shown in Figu-re l, the abutments 11 will be spaced from the ends of the sleeves 9 on the rip cord 10, and, because of the presence of the collar .14 and the stationary mounting of the rip cord handle 13, the back pressure will be exerted on the rip cord.

When, however, the rip cord is pulled by movement of the handle, the abutments then remote from the pins will, when the rip cord has moved a predetermined distance, engage the pins land withdraw them from the conesm While I have illustrated and described a particular embodiment of my invention, it will be understood by those skilled in thevart that certain details o-f construction may.y

except insofar as is made necessary by the claims themselves.

What I elaim is:

1. A parachute rip cord combination comprising a fiexible, substantially nonextensible and noncompressible longitudinally movable rip cord member, a -gromrnet Securing pin having a sleeve thereon throughL which said rip cord member freely extends for longitudinal sliding movement in relation thereto, means fixed on said rip cord member and normally spaced from Said pin at one side thereof to engage said pin and cause the same to move in unison with the rip cord member when the rip cord member is moved in one direction and means fixed on said rip cord normally spaced from said pin at the opposite side thereof to exert back pressure in the opposite direction on said pin.

2. In a semirigid parachute back pack having ciosure iiaps, apertured cones on one of said flaps, complemental grommets on the other of said flaps, a rip cord, grommet securing pins on said rip cord adapted to extend through said cone apertures to maintain said grommets on said cones, the improvement wherein at least certain of said pins are mounted on and in longitudinally slidable relation to said rip cord, and abutment means having a iixed operative stop position on said rip cord for limiting the relative longitudinal movement between said pins and rip 4cord and for exerting back pressure on said pins when they are engaged in said apertures in said cones.

3. A parachute rip cord assembly comprising in combination a flexible relatively stiff rip cord, a flap closure securing pin having a sleeve loosely embracing a portion of said cord, a handle at the `free end oi said cord, and enlarged stop means fixed on said cord between said pin and said handle including a portion arranged and adapted to bear against said sleeve and thereby to limit endwise movement of said sleeve on the cord toward'said handle.

4. A parachute rip cord assembly according to claim 3 and wherein said stop means includes a collar iixed on the cord and bearing loosely against a portion of the handle and an abutment fixed on the cord in spaced relation to said collar and in position to limit the extent of movement of said sleeve in the direction toward said handle whereby when the handle is in normal use position in a chute harness, back pressure is exerted through the outer end portion of said cord and thence through said abutment to prevent accidental movement of the pin out of ap closure securing position. f

5. A parachute rip cord combination comprising a flexible relatively stiff and longitudinally movable :rip cord, a grommet securing pin movable longitudinally thereon to and from grommet securing position, pin actuating means tixed on said cord at one side of the pin in grommet securing position, and means for exerting back pressure on said pin to resist displacement thereof from grommet securing position including a stop r'ixed on the cord at the other side of the pin and arranged andA adapted to be retained by a portion of said cord in operative position to obstruct movement of the pin out of grommet securing position.

6. A parachute rip cord combination comprising a flexible relatively stiff and longitudinally movable rip cord, grommet securing pins movable longitudinally thereon toy and from grommet securing position, and pin actuating means fixed on said cord normally in spaced relation ltoV 'said pins in grommet securing position and movable with longitudinal movement of said cord initially toward and into engagement with said pins and then causing said pins to move out of grommet securing position with continued longitudinal movement of the cord, said cord being longitudinally slidable in relation to a plurality of substantially equally spaced pins', there beinga plurality of said pin actuating means iixed on the cord in diierentially spaced relation whereby one pin is moved out of'grommet securing position after another upon said longitudinal movement of the ripv cord.

7. In a semi-rigid parachute back pack having cooperating closure aps one of which is provided with a row of spaced grommets and the other of which is provided with similarly spaced cones adapted to receive said grommets with outer ends of the latter extending beyond said grommets, and said end portions being provided with transversely disposed axially aligned open ended holes, the combination of a rip cord, coupling devices cooperating with said cones when inter-engaged with said grommets to releasably retain said flaps in closed position, each such coupling device including a sleeve threaded on and freely slidable lengthwise of said rip cord and a coupling pin integral with and offset axially from said sleeve and arranged and adapted to 4be engaged in and disengaged from the transverse hole in one of said cones, means for disengaging said coupling pins from said cones including abutments each of which is secured on said rip cord normally in longitudinally spaced relation to one of said sleeves when the corresponding coupling pin is operatively engaged with one of said cones to releasably couple said cone to one of said grommets whereby when the rip cord is moved longitudinally 4in fiap releasing direction, the abutment is advanced therewith initially a predetermined distance toward said sleeve and said coupling pin without causing the pin to disengage from said cone, and with continued movement of the rip cord to an end position in the same direction, said abutment en-gages said sleeve and causes said coupling pin to be disengaged from said cone, said rip cord being of generally flexible and locally stift steel cable, a hand grip swivelly connected to one end of said cable, a hand grip holder supported in substantially iixed spaced relation to said closure flaps, and an abutment fixed on said cable in position to bear against one of said coupling devices in a direction to prevent accidental uncoupling thereof when said rhand grip is operatively engaged with said hand grip holder.

8. In a semi-rigid parachute pack having co-operating aps closed along a central longitudinal Iline, a plurality of closure means spaced along said line each comprising a tapered member and a co-operating grommet, each of said members having a transverse hole through it, said holes being oriented alongl said line, a relatively stift iiexible rip cord extending generally parallel to said line closely alongside said tapered members, a plural-ity of pins spaced apart and slidably engaged upon said lip cord,v each pin being engageable in the hole in a respective one of said tapered members to fasten said closure means, a plurality of abutment means fixed onto said rip cord at spaced points, each abutment means when said rip cord is in normal position being spaced a short but finite distance from a respective one of said pins, said plurality of abutment means upon short but finite longitudinal movement of said rip cord being movable into engage-ment with respective ones of said pins to remove them from said holes, and pulling means on an end of said rip cord to cause longitudinal movement thereof when it is desired to open said parachute pack, whereby said pack is prevented from accidental opening when flexed or arched in normal wear and binding and sticking of said pins is lessened.

9. The arrangement in claim 8 wherein said abutment means are differentially spaced along said rip cord and disengage said pins one after another when the rip cord is moved longitudinally. 

